Affection I 'm sure the primitive Impotence in which Providence has decreed Mankind to be brought forth loudly instructs us we should exert it in the most affectionate Methods of Preservation In a word A parental Care and Affection is so clearly pointed out as a Duty even by the Dictates of Natural Reason that the perpetual Reproaches which the Care and Conduct of senseless Brutes throw upon the Neglect of it are one would think Punishment or Motive sufficient to enforce the Observance of it And therefore where such natural Bowels of Compassion are wanting it 's an infallible Indication that the Mind is desperately sunk in Barbarity And now let the Latitudinarian endeavour to overturn this Branch of a Law of Nature by trumping up some unnatural Cruelties among the Greeks yet I think it rests upon an unshaken Foundation and therefore before he Rejects it upon such a slender Suggestion let him consider that there are some few Monsters among Brutes that instead of Preserving destroy their own Off-spring And as there are some among this Order so God may to make known the Power of his Name suffer some Monsters among Men without injuring a Law that is established with so much Evidence and Solemnity § 2. I proceed in the second place to consider the Foundation and Original of filial Reverence and Duty And first I think a parental Care and Tenderness in fencing us from Cold and Nakedness and giving us a liberal Education when without the first we must have perished in our own Impotence is sufficient if once applied to the Mind and attended to to dictate the highest Tokens of Reverence if not Duty A sense of such inestimable Benefits upon the first Convictions of Reason are sufficient to induce an Obligation to make suitable Returns to 'em and I think nothing less than that Honour and Reverence that expresses itself in a conscientious Submission to all just and equitable Commands I mean such as pass for the Consequences of Laws of Nature or are fairly consistent with ' em But this seems to carry us no further than the Kindness of a signal Benefactor indispensably obliges us to whereas a Parent implies something more considerable than the Notion of a Benefactor can suggest and therefore Reason seems to dictate that God hath raised a more strict and absolute Foundation of Obedience and certainly the Obedience which is paid towards a Parent is naturally acted with such a reverential Awe and Deference as argues a kind of Authority and Dominion and consequently contains something more in it than a Sense of Benefits And truly our great Creator hath sufficiently discovered the thing since he seems to have raised an Obedience from the same Title upon which his Right of Obedience is established a creating as well as preserving Power For since he has decreed to make Parents the great Instruments of our Production and Existence as well as Preservation we must conclude that he intended to establish an Obedience upon it It 's abundantly concluded that as God is by the Powers of Natural Reason represented to us to be the great Fountain of our Being and Preservation a Sense of Duty and Obedience as well as a Right of Obedience as powerfully results from it as Light from the Sun And since Parents by a Divine Decree are honoured with the same Characters in as eminent a manner as is consistent with the Nature of a Creature or Substitute and are Created with strong and invincible Propensions as well as Laws and Obligations to answer the Intentions of them Reason will oblige us to conclude that God has thereby induced Obligations of a subordinate Obedience that is in all those Cases wherein he has not expresly interposed by a Law of Nature or Revelation Indeed this seems to be an Expedient to establish and confirm that supreme Right of Obedience which his creative preserving Power challenges over us and in a word his appointing our Production in a strict Imitation of his Methods of Creation is an Argument of his Intentions to establish an unquestionable Right of Dominion in both Cases Since the same Motives instruct us to acknowledge a supereminent Right of Dominion in our Common Parent and a subordinate one in our Natural § 3. But further it 's already concluded That the Offices of Parental Duty are enforced upon the strongest Propensions as well as Obligations even an invincible Concern for our own Flesh and Blood and where the Concern is reciprocal we cannot imagine but it serves to establish a Right of Duty and Obedience as well as enforce it But now as the great Creator of the World thought it necessary to represent and enforce the Duty of Parents by certain indeleble Propensions so Reason will instruct us that he has constituted Propensions as powerful in Children upon which he intended to establish a Sense of Duty as well as enforce an Obedience Indeed where the Duties are equally binding of the same moment and importance and an equal Intention to maintain and enforce 'em we cannot imagine but our wise Law-giver would make the same Provisions to see his Designs and Intentions answered And truly the Duties of both turn upon the same Foundation a passionate Affection to our own Flesh and Blood For the Concern we entertain for it in ourselves will naturally convey itself to those that are but one remove from us This is so apparent that it 's justly to be esteemed a main Foundation of the common Bowels of Humanity and those Social Offices we exercise as Men towards one another But to return It 's visible the Alliance is equal on both hands and consequently we may justly presume that the Propensions of Duty and Reverence are as strong on the Child's part that receives a Being and Subsistence as the Propensions of Care and Compassion on the Parents that ministers both The Maxim holds this way no one as yet ever hated his own Flesh From all this it 's evident since God has implanted such deep and powerful Propensions we must conclude that the bare Proposal of a Parent to the Mind so as to apprehend the true force and purport of the Term will naturally command these Propensions into the highest Instances of Duty and Obedience as well as Awe and Reverence This is a Duty so legible in the Frame and Constitution of our Beings that Nature by the help of a single Conclusion at the same time dictates and enforces it And I 'm perswaded were not the Frame of the Soul in this as well as other Cases miserably perverted by vitious Habits or Dispositions contracted thro' Education or Example it 's impossible but she must rest under a perpetual Sense and Apprehension of it And now let some Men Harangue upon the Act of Generation as liberally and contemptibly as they please we have all the Reason in the World to believe that God has made it one Ground of an eternal and indispensable Duty I 'm sure he that subscribes to the
sufficient to secure the Ends of Government and consequently a Coercive Power to Punish any from within or without that invade the Peace of it But 3dly To support his own Hypothesis and avoid the Political Authority of the Paternal Power he affirms That tho' the Duties of Honour and Respect are Eternal yet the commanding Power is Temporary and ceases with Nonage or Minority See § 64 67 69 c. That when this Power expires Children are in as absolute a State of Freedom as the Father and that too not only in respect to the Father's Authority but of the Civil Government This is the Substance of several Sections and it 's very visible that his chiefest Arguments are raised upon Paternal Power as 't is exercis'd under the established Governments of the World which is a Fallacy already detected But to make some Returns according to Method and Order The Duty of Children I 'm persuaded in the full Extent of it is of eternal Obligation where 't is not superseeded by a higher Law that of Society upon which account alone as is already observed part of it by the Reason and Necessity of Things devolves upon the Supreme Power Indeed if what has been asserted carries Evidence and Truth in it the Duty of Children must be Eternal It has been abundantly proved That the Ground or Foundation of Filial Duty and Obedience is Eternal viz. That of Generation and an unchangeable Affection resulting from it And if the Ground of Obligation is eternal the Duty must be so too But to proceed the Word of God seems express in this Matter for we are not only enjoyned to Honour but Obey our Parents Now it 's well known Obedience supposes a decretory Power or commanding Authority and the Precept not being given under any Limitations that make it Temporary I cannot discern by what Authority this Gentleman pronounces it Temporary Indeed I cannot imagine how any one that receives the Holy Scriptures for the Word of God can safely pronounce the Duty of Filial Obedience Temporary for we there find it established and enforced upon such ample Provisions that we must believe God designed to perpetuate the Obligations of it The time would fail me to collect all the Passages that manifestly favour this Notion I shall therefore touch on a few that are very remarkable And first the Power of Blessing and Cursing exercised by the Patriarchs is a considerable Evidence of the Perpetuity of the Duty It 's well known the Patriarchs constantly exercised this Power and their Descendents as conscienciously acknowledged it It was a Sense of this Power that made Jacob Expostulate before he embraced his Mother's Expedient My Father peradvanture will feel me and I shall be to him as a Deceiver and I shall bring a Curse upon me and not a Blessing Gen. 27. v. 12. It 's certain the Patriarchs challenged an indisputable Right to exercise this Power for tho' Jacob had obtained the Blessing by an ungenerous Artifice or Stratagem yet Isaac thought himself obliged to confirm it I have blessed him yea and he shall be blessed v. 33. A most convincing Argument truly that this Right of Blessing and Cursing was founded in a Divine Original and certainly there needs nothing more to demonstrate the Divine Will and Pleasure than the inseparable Effects and Consequences of his Power since we find that the Blessings or Curses of Parents as infallibly pursued their Children as they were dispensed Thus the Blessing of Isaac attended Jacob and the Curses of Noah pursued his Son Canaan Cursed be Canaan a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren Gen. 9. v. 25. Now certainly a Provision of such special Powers can carry no less a Design in it than the perpetuating of a Filial Reverence and Duty If God had not design'd to establish an Immortal Power and Authority in the Parent why should he confer such distinguishing Marks of Sovereignty and Dominion Can we imagin that such a tremendous Power was exerted purely to secure an Obedience during Minority and a ceremonious Reverence afterwards exclusive of a commanding Authority No certainly this is a Conjecture that runs counter to all the Accounts of Time for the Obedience of Children in the first Ages of the World was as remarkable as the Parents Commands after a State of Maturity and indeed it could proceed from nothing less than a just Sense of an indeleble Character and Authority as well as Power to enforce it But further the Duty and Obedience of Children is so far from being any wise Temporary that God has given his own express Promises to perpetuate the Obligation St. Paul has long since observ'd that Children obey your Parents is the first Commandment with Promise Ephes 6.1 2. And certainly where the Sanction is peculiar or extraordinary the Obligation of the Command must bear a proportion to it and where God has discover'd himself so eminently solicitous to enforce the Duty by special Rewards as well as Punishments we may conclude he intended to perpetuate it Thus far the Suffrage of Scripture seems clear and indisputable But if all this will not convince I shall refer this Author to the Story of Jonadab the Son of Rechab out of the very Mouth of the Prophet The Command or Prohibition was against drinking of Wine as well as building of Houses which seems to be an Abridgment of the Natural Liberties of Mankind and consequently if the Commanding Power of Parents ceases with Nonage it may very well do so in Cases of this Nature But instead of this we find the Obligation asserted by a Complication of Arguments Jonadab advances the Command by virtue of a Parental Power and Authority Ye shall drink no Wine neither ye nor your Sons for ever that ye may live many Days where ye be Strangers Jer. 35. v. 6 7. The very Commandment with Promise And the Rechabites were possessed with as deep a Sense of its Obligation for when the Prophet by the Command of God tryed their Fidelity the only Argument of their Non-compliance was the Command of their Father Jonadab and the Prospect of Inheriting the Blessing annexed to the Command Thus have we obeyed the Voice of Jonadab our Father and done all that Jonadab our Father commanded us v. 8 9. But this is not all for the Obligation of the Command is not only recognised by Men even those that were immediately concerned in it but by God himself for he does not only annex the Promise of the Command to the Observance of it Because ye have obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab your Father and kept all his Precepts Therefore Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a Man to stand before me for ever v. 18 19. But expresly represents that eternal Obedience that is due to his Commands by it for this was God's Design in obliging the Prophet to try the Rechabites Constancy and Perseverance by setting Cups and Pots full of Wine before them and commanding them to Drink and
therefore the Inference is Recorded Go and tell the Men of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Will ye not receive Instruction to hearken to my Words The Words of Jonadab the Son of Rechab that he commanded his Sons are performed for unto this Day they drink no Wine but obey their Father's Commandment Notwithstanding I have spoken unto you rising up early and speaking but ye hearkned not unto me v. 13 14. And now how can any Man dispute the Perpetuity of a Commanding Paternal Power Has not God himself drawn the Parallel If his Commanding Power is not Temporary neither is that of the Parent The Nature of the Command might have engaged a powerful Advocate against it the Freedoms and Immunities of a reasonable Being but yet the Conscience of so just a Superior bearing so awful a Character as that of a Father commands an immediate Submission Indeed this single Instance represents it as a Doctrine universally received and in those Ages undisputed and therefore I presume it will be a Task of some difficulty for this Author to produce a Dispensation much more a Repeal under the Gospel OEconomy But I proceed to consider the Arguments already advanced to support the Notion and I find the main and principal Argument is formed from the Nature and Reason of Paternal Authority for the Author expresly resolves the commanding Power into a help to the weakness and imperfections of their Nonage a Discipline necessary to their Education but when they are once arrived to the Enfranchisement of the Years of Discretion the Father's Empire then ceases Sect. 65. But let us consider this in the Instance already given that of our first Parent I would demand of this Gentleman whether after Years of Discretion a Discipline of Civil Commands and Laws were not absolutely necessary for the Conduct of our Lives and Actions yet as necessary as a commanding Discipline to a Child's Education If therefore Civil Government from the beginning was necessary even for Adult Persons this Discipline must be so too and then let Reason determine whether this commanding Authoritative Power or this Discipline of giving Laws and Commands was not Appropriate to Adam in whom God had invested all deligated Power and Authority and that too under the higest marks of Sovereignty and Dominion I 'm perswaded an unbiassed Person would pronounce such a Title unquestionable when there is no express Law that declares the contrary Again he tells us The Power which Parents have over their Children arises from that Duty which is incumbent on them to take care of their Off-spring during the imperfect State of Childhood See Sect. 58. But I am perswaded I have with good Evidence fixed it on a distinct Foundation Parental Duty indeed is a substantial Reason that God should Establish a Right of Dominion but it is no Argument that he has Established it on this Foundation no I have proved the contrary But admit we that a Parental Right of Dominion was founded in the Duties of a Parent yet if Parental Duty be perpetual a Parental Right of Dominion must be so too Indeed to give colour to this uncouth Notion he Suggests that that part of Parental Duty which consists in Education ceases when the business of Education is over he means when Nonage ceases Sect. 69. But certainly if Instruction or Commands are at any time necessary and not superseded by a higher Power it 's the Indispensible Duty of the Father to enjoyn them and the Duty of Children to embrace them I presume Christianity will instruct every believing Father that a Child's Age or Abilities can never exempt him from giving such Counsels and Precepts if he stands in need of them as may induce him to live in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Upon the whole then the Commands of private Parents after Nonage are for the most part superseded by the ample provisions of the Civil Power in all Regular Governments and in like manner the power of Punishments is justly taken away upon that Interest or Property which the Government challenges in all its Members but yet if any thing is omitted in the Civil Power necessary to the Conduct of the Child's Life I am perswaded the Parent is not only to administer Counsel but lay his Commands and the Child is indispensibly obliged to yield a Consciencious Obedience upon a just Deference to the Parents's Character and Authority This is to obey as unto God and Christ and not unto Men. This Author freely confesses that the Duty of Piety expressed not only in Acts of Reverence and Respect but in supporting and defending the Persons of our Parents is perpetual and I am perswaded there can be no Just Reason assigned why a Reverential Obedience to just and reasonable Commands is not perpetual too it is indeed replyed that the former Results from the Laws of Gratitude founded in Benefit so inexpressible that the one can never be Cancelled nor the other Compensated but I hope it is proved they are founded in something besides that serves to perpetuate an Obligation and since a commanding Power has the same Authority and Foundation I cannot conceive why an Obedience to the Commands of Parents should not be perpetual where God seems to have made such Commands necessary to the Conduct of Humane Life Thus far here 's no Foundation given for the Suggestion this Author has made in extending the Gospel Precept to a commanding Power as if by virtue of it a Parent should pretend to treat an Adult Son still as a Boy Sect. 68. For the necessity of such commands is superseded by the circumstances of Age and Personal Abilities and tho it is reasonable to conclude that a Commanding Power remains yet it ought at all times to be exercised according to the necessity and reason of things In a word the principal Duties of Parents and Children appear from the nature of the things to be in their Original Institution perpetual and therefore before this Author had pronounced them Temporary he should have considered whether it was not to make the Commandments of God of none effect to support his vain and groundless Traditions such as a State of Freedom Equality and original Contract § 4. To consider the State of Freedom which is affirmed to be as absolute as that of the Father The only Reason and Argument assigned for this Freedom is in his own Language this The Freedom then of Man and liberty of Acting according to his own Will is grounded on his having Reason which is able to instruct him in that Law he is to govern himself by and make him know how far he is left to the freedom of his own Will Sect. 63. Now I am content to put the Notion on this issue with a small matter added to it If Man at a certain period is endued with a sufficiency of Reason to instruct him in that Law he is to govern himself by and make him know how far he is left to
the Freedom of his own Will and had Ingenuity and Integrity enough to prosecute it then I will grant that he may challenge a Freedom or Liberty of acting according to his own Will without being accountable to any one till his own voluntary Compact had made him so But then such a sufficiency as this must supersede the necessity of all Civil Government or positive Laws Certainly then if Man after the utmost pretences to Reason has not a sufficiency of Reason at all times to instruct himself in the Line of Duty no more than Integrity to adjudge his own Actions conformable to the Line of Duty we may with very good Reason conclude that Maturity of Reason does not cancel the Bonds of Filial Obedience or to have respect to the instance before us admit the Children of Adam to an equal State of Liberty with himself that is in his own Language To challenge an Executive Power in the Exercise of Laws of Nature as much as their Father as well as Prescribe to their own Will and regulate their Actions These are positions that can no way be reconciled with the necessity of civil Government under the most improv'd State of Reason and that Dominion which by the Laws of the Creation God had invested him with for God having made Government necessary for the Support of Grown Men and actually Invested Adam with a Right of Dominion Reason must determine without the breach of Humane Freedom that the Dominion of Adam was Originally designed to extend as far as was necessary to the Regulation and Conduct of Humane Actions as well by Laws as Counsel Indeed the original Mistake is lodged in the Notion of Civil Government compared with Humane Freedom as if Humane Freedom or Natural Liberty were in the very Notion of it inconsistent with Government or as if it were a Breach of Natural Liberty to be placed under the Conduct of that without which Man with all his Reason cannot Subsist much less be Happy Now it is visible tho' Government implies a Power of imposing and enforceing Laws yet the Original Design of it was the Happiness of Mankind in the Regulation of their Lives and Actions according to the Laws of God whether Natural or Revealed It is true the Institution of such a Power may imply an absolute Trust and whether this Trust is forfeited and accountable when the Original Ends of Government are Violated is another Question But it is Indisputable these are the only true ends of Government And I think no one can affirm that the direct Methods to Happiness are Breaches of Humane Freedom yea rather they are the only Expedients to preserve it and therefore I can see no Rights in the Exercise of Humane Reason or Freedom founded on it to Exempt the Children of Adam from that Civil Jurisdiction that Results from his Paternal Power And now I presume there is enough offered to Reject the pretence of an unlimitted Freedom I have enlarged more plentifully upon it because it is the Foundation of that State of Equality upon which Compact is made the first Principle of Civil Government for this reason I shall offer a few Arguments more to represent the Absurdity of it § 5. And first if Children coming to the exercise of Reason are not only discharged from their Paternal Allegiance but acquire a State of Freedom equal to their Father as this Position directs Sect. 66. Then the Children of Adam had an unquestionable Right to erect a Government over his Head or at least upon Non-compliance to Exclude him from the Benefits of it and in a word to drive him forth from his own Territories since Civil Governments always challenge a Power to Banish those that refuse to pay Allegiance to them That the Children and Descendants of Adam could act thus is evident for as they were in a State of Freedom and Equality they could enter into a Compact at Pleasure and consequently Establish a Government upon a Majority against their Fathers It 's highly Probable the Children of our First Parent were acted by so deep a sense of Duty as would prevent them from the Executing their pretended Privilege but I am perswaded were a Set of Men under the Influence of this Author's Principles placed in a State of Nature under their Natural Father the Resentments which the Discipline of their Education might give them would easily engage them to bandy together at such a rate as to Erect a Government upon his Head and if they did not call the Old Gentleman to an account for Male-Administration yet upon Non-compliance they might think themselves obliged to withdraw those small remains of Respect which this Gentleman has assigned him However it is manifest this Position will Vindicate the Lawfulness of the Project and therefore it can be no Crime to apply it to the Father of Mankind and his immediate Descendants But now what can be more Unnatural than this is Can Man pretend the least Reverence or Respect upon such a Horrid Treason as this Men may Harangue on the Formalities of Respect as long as they please but certainly it is some Pretensions to Authority that can preserve a Filial Reverence that is truly valuable that is such a Reverence as expresses it self in a chearful Obedience to all just and reasonable Commands § 6. But to draw towards a Conclusion this Notion of Freedom carries another Absurdity in it as Injurious to the Civil Power as it is to the Patriarchal for in order to assert the Notion this Author is forced to Discard the Notion of Natural Allegiance and place every one in a State of Liberty upon their arrival at Years of Discetion till they shall Recognize the Governing Power by an express or tacit Consent An express Consent he fixes in Promises or Oaths of Allegiance and a tacit Consent in the Possession or Enjoyment of any part of the Dominions of any Government Chap. 8. Sect. 119. Part. 2. And further adds that a Tacit Consent only produces a Temporal Allegiance So that in case he quits his Possession by Donation Sale or otherwise he is at Liberty to go and Incorporate himself in any other Common-Wealth or agree with others to begin a new one in Vacuis locis in any part of the World they can find Free or Unpossessed Sect. 121. Now certainly these are Positions that cannot well be consistent with the safety of any Government for it is manifest they give a Latitude for Rebellion as well as Disertion For first The Descendants of the Liege Subjects of any Government do not yield a Tacit Consent even after they arrive at Years of Discretion by Living and Subsisting upon the Blessings of it unless they possess or enjoy some parts of its Dominions so that not only the Adult Children that Live under their Parents without a Settlement but even the Poor or Labouring part of a Nation or even all that are not the true Proprietors of Estates still remain in a State of
despicable for want of Honesty as Sense This is the Work of Heaven God is able as well as faithful to accomplish it in his own good time If the following Papers fall into the Hands of Men of these Sentiments I can assure them they 'll find nothing of the Imaginary Arts or Mystery of Priestcraft nothing of any designing Leader nothing peculiar to the wary Guardians of Creeds and Profitable Inventions so often hinted by the late Author of the Reasonableness of Christianity But if any thing offers itself that cannot well be digested I shall freely embrace a fair and pertinent Answer and endeavour to make such Returns as I hope may at last beget full Convicton on both sides THE CONTENTS OF The Introduction OF the State of Man before the Fall § 1. Of Original Corruption the Nature Rise and Propagation of it § 2. The Necessity of Revelation asserted with respect to our Attainments in Knowledge § 3 4. From the Defects of Natural Religion § 5. In reference to Practice § 6. From the Necessity of a Mediator § 7. The Deists Objection answered § 8. THE CONTENTS of the BOOK A Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation Chap. 1. Proved from Scripture § 1. That Man naturaly Thinks and Reasons § 2. That Man Thinks and Reasons in a fixed determinate Way § 3. The Subject-matter of Laws of Nature discoverable by Natural Reason § 4. The Divine Authority of Laws of Nature discoverable by Natural Reason § 5. Proved from the Divine Attributes and Perfections § 5. From the Ends and Designs of Created Beings § 6. From those natural Rewards and Punishments that flow from 'em § 7. From Scripture § 8. Objections answered Chap. 2. Of the true Origin of Error § 1 2. Of the Argument of Vniversal Consent the Nature Validity and Extent of it Chap. 3. Reflections on what Mr. Lock has offered against it § 1. Reflections on some Passages in the Conference with a Theist Chap. 4. Of the Distinction of Laws of Nature from Positive or Written Laws Chap. 5. Where the Nature of 'em is more fully represented § 1. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Arguments against Innate Ideas or Practical Principles and the Controversie determined Chap. 6. Of the different Degrees of the Evidence of Laws of Nature Chap. 7. Of the Foundation of God's Right of Dominion and our Duty of Allegiance as a Law-giver Chap. 8. A Right of Obliging distinguished from a Power of Obliging § 1. A Right of Obliging does not consist in a Power of Contributing to our Happiness or Misery § 2. All Right of Dominion derives from God § 3. God's Right of Dominion primarily founded in his creative and preserving Power § 4. Objections answered § 5. The Certainty of Rewards and Punishments Chap. 9. That God has a Right to Reward and Punish § 1. The Certainty proved from the general End and Intention of all Law-givers § 2. From the Nature of God's Laws and Man to whom they are given § 3. And the Nature of God that gave them § 4. Of the Original of a Parental Duty Love and Affection and Filial Reverence and Duty Chap. 10. The Affection of Brutes towards their own Off-spring not the Work of Reason but of certain Animal Sensations § 1. The Springs of Paternal Affection ib. Filial Reverence and Duty founded in the Act of Generation as well as Preserving Power § 2. Founded in the same Principles with Paternal Affection § 3. A Paternal Power originally includes a Kingly Power § 4. Reflections on some Passages in Mr. Lock 's Essay of Humane Vnderstanding and a Treatise of Government in 2 Parts Chap. 11. The Power of a Mother no Objection against the Civil Jurisdiction of the Paternal Power § 2. The Commanding Power of the Parent not Temporary § 3. Maturity did not place the Sons of Adam in an unlimited State of Freedom § 4. Natural Freedom not inconsistent with Civil Government ib. The Absurdities against this Author's Hypothesis represented § 5 6. Natural Allegiance asserted § 6. No Body of Men since the Creation regularly and de jure in a State of Nature such as this Author supposes Of the Nature of Moral Good and Evil Chap. 12. The Subject-matter and formal Reasons of Moral Good § 1 2. Of the true Measures of Moral Goodness Chap. 13. Pleasure whether of Body or Mind not the Measure of Moral Goodness § 1. The Conformity of Actions to the Ends of Society not the Measure of moral Goodness § 3. Conformity of Actions to a Law abstracting from the Intrinsick Rectitude of it not the Measure of Moral Goodness § 3. The original Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings the true Measure of Moral Goodness § 4. Of the eternal and unalterable Distinctions of Moral Goodness Chap. 14. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Law of Fashion Chap. 15. His Design not barely to enumerate Moral Ideas § 1. No Necessity for assigning a Law of Fashion § 2. The true Notion of Vertue and Vice by him Mis-represented § 3. Of the Nature of Conscience in general Chap. 16. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience Chap. 17. Of the Foundation and Authority of Conscience in the Original O Economy of it Chap. 18. The Truth and Certainty of Natural Conscience demonstrated against the Latitudinarian and Vnbeliever Chap. 19. The Vneasiness of Mind under Sickness or the Approaches of Death resolved into the Gripes and Convulsions of Conscience Chap. 20. Of the Evidence of future Rewards and Punishments from the Presages of Natural Conscience Chap. 21. How far Conscience shall be a Measure of the Divine Justice in the Distribution of Future Punishments Chap. 22. Some further Remarks on Mr. Lock 's Notions on this Argument § 2. The Conclusion THE INTRODUCTION Concerning the Necessity of REVELATION IT may perhaps seem a very improper Entertainment to the Christian World to establish a Line of Duty from the Records of the Book of Nature when we enjoy a more sure Word of Prophecy or Form of sound Doctrine which is able to make us wise unto Salvation or to delineate the Features of Moral Good and Evil when Life and Immortality are brought to light through the Gospel or in a word to dwell on the Infant-principles of Religion when we may go on unto Perfection But certainly the Spirit and Temper peculiar to the Age we live in is abundantly sufficient to suggest an Apology Are we not professedly Attack'd as to the Truth and Authority of Revelation and the Whole of Religion resolved into a Set of Moral Rules and Maxims And tho' others as yet cannot Discard all Revealed Truths yet they act as if they were Advocates for the Cause whilst they allow no other Rise or Original to Moral Rules and Maxims than Custom Education and a few unaccountable Traditions These are Mens Proceedings which seem to be embarked in the same Design viz. The Subversion of all Religion Our holy Religion is by this means stript of its most convincing Arguments for
Measures and Principles it must prescribe in common to the whole Species as well as particular Persons § 4. The next Inquiry is the Subject-matter of the Law of Nature how this arises and is discover'd to us so as to form a Law upon it And 1st To state the Matter with greater clearness give me leave to have recourse to the Instance already assign'd that of Savages placed in the World without the Bias of Education or Instruction upon ' em It 's already concluded that Men even in this pure State of Nature are Thinking Reasoning Beings and it may reasonably be imagin'd that the great Law of Self-preservation or an incessant Desire of Ease and Happiness will be the Spring and Movement to their first Thoughts and Reasonings This as has been already observed is rather a Natural Instinct implanted in all Sensitive Beings than a Law given to free Agents For every Individual that is capable of Pleasure or Pain is violently disposed to secure his own Preservation and therefore those Beings that are endowed with Rational Powers and Faculties and can Think Deliberate and Examin the Nature of Things will certainly turn the Mind upon ' emselves and engage their first Thoughts in surveying the Nature and Condition of their Beings For without some knowledge of this kind it 's impossible they shou'd apply themselves to the true methods of Self-preservation And hence no doubt arises the Subject-matter of the Law of Nature For certainly all those Laws which have justly obtain'd the Name or Character of Laws of Nature are formed from the Consideration of Ourselves or which is the same thing from the Consideration of the Nature and Circumstances of our Beings compared with those things that are without us That this is not a groundless Conjecture the Rule of Social Virtues established by our Blessed Saviour and advanced by the best Moralists sufficiently attests Whatsoever you wou'd that Men shou'd do unto you do you that also unto them Here 's a manifest Appeal to ourselves and consequently implies a strict survey of our Nature and the relation we stand in to other Beings as well as of our own Wants and Necessities And certainly whosoever turns his Mind and Thoughts upon himself and considers his own Frame and Original his Dependences and Methods of Subsistence will presently furnish himself with Matter enough to make up the Laws of both Tables those we owe to God and those we owe to Men. A little Thought will instruct us that we were formed by some first Cause who must be infinite in all his Attributes and Perfections And as little Thought and Observation that this first Cause implanted certain Passions in our Natures such as Love and Hatred Hope and Fear and all the intermediate ones such as Admiration Tenderness and Compassion as well as Anger Aversion and Fury and consequently we must conclude that the Author of Nature has adapted them to peculiar Objects and appointed 'em to special Ends and Purposes And from hence we have a clear view of those Duties we owe to God such as Love Worship Fear Reverence Trust and Dependence For the consideration of a Creator and our dependence on him as Creatures will instruct us that we are to devote the chiefest of those Powers Faculties or Passions he has implanted in us to his Service and Honour Again for the Laws of the Second Table the consideration of the methods of our Subsistence will instruct us that we are in a great measure maintain'd by foreign Aids and Succours that we subsist upon the Art and Blessings of Labour as well as Nature and these are to be carried on by Creatures that can Reason Think and Project as we do And this will prompt us to Society and ingage us to apply ourselves to those Creatures that most resemble ourselves and are most capable of serving or administring outward Goods and Blessings to us The necessary methods of Subsistence and the condition of our Natures will presently instruct us in the Rights of Property and consequently give us a view of the Necessity of Promises Compacts or Ingagements and our indispensable Obligations to maintain and execute ' em And from all these Notices results the Law of universal Justice We cannot kill nor assault the Persons of our Neighbours because it 's a wounding or stabbing our selves since it cuts off that Circulation of Blessings we live by We cannot spoil or plunder the Goods of our Neighbour because that affects us in the same manner as that of Murther To proceed hence result the Laws of universal Love Tenderness and Compassion For we find these Passions implanted in the Frame of our very Natures And where can we think to fix and exert them better than on those that contribute to our Subsistence This naturally begets a Sense of Benefits and those of Love and Compassion In a word Self-preservation suggests Self-love and a Tenderness and Kindness towards ourselves and consequently it will exercise the very same Affections to the benefit of others For since Love Tenderness and Compassion are the most powerful Ingagements to link others to our Interest and our Interest and Welfare rests upon the Welfare of others to be kind compassionate and loving to others is to be so to ourselves These are Laws recorded in such legible Characters that the Subject-matter of 'em has discovered itself to meer Savages that sprung up like Mushrooms tho' there were no such Relation as Husband and Wife Parent or Children or in a word were no way allied or dependent but by the common Condition and Principles of Humanity Here needs no long Train of Thoughts Consequences and Deductions whereby the Mind under the highest Improvements is often bewildred overset and confounded The common Necessities of our Natures and the condition of our Beings forcibly direct us to the discovery a single Inference will give us a full view So that were the Mind left to her own native Exercitations before she had contracted a Bias from Example or a vicious Education they must unavoidably appear in some of her first and earliest Reasonings Indeed I will not affirm that every one in this case cou'd discover the Subject-matter of the prime Laws of Nature in that Train of Thought or from those very Topicks and Arguments that are here projected It 's sufficient if they are natural and obvious and carry an Evidence suitable to what they are apply'd and are design'd to prove There may a thousand Arguments suggest the same thing and therefore it is not material which way we come by it That which is most considerable is that it appears the Subject-matter of the Laws of Nature lies upon the Surface and offers itself to the first Dawnings of Reason It is as fixt and certain as the first workings of Reason for both result from the established Frame or Nature of Things and is mixed with the prime Ends and Interests of our Beings and we must first change the Course of Nature and new
Mind with the first Lineaments of its Being And therefore there seems to be no visible Necessity for having Recourse to Innate Ideas or Inscriptions And certainly if Innate Ideas are serviceable to Mankind they must be so in order to supply the Defects of Reason and consequently they seem to be exempt from the Disquisitions of Reason For if Innate Ideas are to be examined and judged on by the Workings of Reason Reason itself I mean the Decrees and Deductions of it will answer all the Ends and Designs of a reasonable Being as effectually as if a Digest of Laws were originally recorded on the Mind If this be true as I think it 's in some measure demonstrated to be the Doctrine of Innate Principles must be laid aside since we cannot conceive that a wise Creator should establish any Ordinance without some special Ends and Uses annexed to it I mean such as are not served any other way If it be said that Reason exercises no Jurisdiction in this Affair then I 'm afraid Innate Inscriptions will rather endamage than advance Religion and Morality For then every one will be apt to obtrude his own Fancies and wild Suggestions for native Inscriptions and consequently Mankind must be exposed to all the Extravagancies of Enthusiasm in the Oeconomy of Nature as well as that of Grace so that whatsoever any one has the boldness to affirm or fancy to be written on the Heart must immediately pass an Obligation on all Mens Actions and the Finger of God shall be pleaded to the Subversion of the common Principles of Morality as the Spirit of God has been to the Subversion of the Peace and Unity of the Church When all things then are thus fairly laid together we may with greater appearance of Reason conclude That our Ideas and Principles are acquired as well as the more remote Deductions of Science and that 't is their intimate Agreement with the Ends and Interests or common Frame and Necessity of our Nature that gives 'em the appearance of native Impressions In a word then tho' the sacred Language seems to favour the Notion yet it may be justly resolved into Metaphor or Figure and import no more than an Allusion to the general Custom of promulging Laws in Tables or Writing Inasmuch as God has originally endued us with Powers and Faculties to discover a Rule of Action and Law to Govern ourselves by in the common Exigences of Human Nature as clearly as if he had Engraven it on Tables of Stone CHAP. VII Of the different Degrees of the Evidence of Laws of Nature IT will easily be granted that Laws of Nature carry a different Evidence in proportion to the Subject-matter of 'em and the several Workings of Reason in the Disquisition of ' em Some Laws discover ' emselves by a single Consequence or a short train of Consequences whilst others rest upon an Evidence that is wrought by several Gradations or a large Series of Consequences or Deductions The primary Laws of Nature are those which represent the principal Duties we owe to God or those which concern our own Persons or the Persons of our Neighbours For those that arise from our own or our Neighbours Property are certainly more elaborate and remote I shall illustrate these Observations by a single Instance in each of ' em And first To Reverence and Worship the Supreme Being which we call God is certainly a Fundamental Law of Nature because it necessarily arises from that Relation we bear to God For the most obvious Notion of a God and a bare Assent to this single Proposition that God is our Creator and we his Creatures from whom all that we have or belongs to us is immediately derived must by a direct and immediate Consequence demonstrate that we are obliged to empty our Souls before him in the most solemn Acts of Homage and Reverence Indeed as for the manner of Divine Worship tho' Natural Reason by a train of Arguments might determine it so as to be some way acceptable to God yet to establish it in Perfection is certainly the business of Revealed Religion But that God is to be Worshipped is a Duty lodged in the most simple Workings of Reason Again That God has enjoyned Temperance as a Duty arises not only from the prime and most obvious Ends of our Being but from the Doctrine of Self-preservation and the necessary Methods of Subsistence so that allowing the clear Dictates of Reason in the Mind of our great Creator to be a Rule of Duty a single Inference will demonstrate Temperance to be a Duty Again as to those Laws which concern the Person of our Neighbours such I mean as prohibit Murder or other Violations of their Persons it 's visible the Consideration of the Methods of our Subsistence whereby we are necessitated to rely on the Succours of our Fellow-creatures will instruct us that God did not allow us to assassinate and destroy 'em the very Suggestions of Self-preservation will oblige us to make the Conclusion Again the Consideration of being Fellow-creatures and a peculiar of a Sovereign Creator and as such under his immediate Conduct and Disposal will instruct us that we have no right to their Lives without a special Commission from him Lastly The early Discoveries which we find in ourselves of Love Tenderness and Compassion and the Earnings which are implanted towards our own Flesh and Blood will direct us that God intended we should place a certain Measure of these native Passions and Propensions on those that are descended from us or are compounded of the same Ingredients and formed in the same Mould and consequently he could never authorize us to commit Violence or Cruelties on their Persons so absurd is the Hypothesis of the Leviathan that projects a State of Nature to be an absolute State of War But to proceed to the last Instance that of outward Goods and Possessions which engages the principal Laws and Measures of Justice Thus to Steal is no doubt a Violation of natural Justice and consequently a Violation of a Law of Nature but yet this rests on the Force and Authority of a Law antecedent to it I mean that of Property and consequently it implies several Conclusions or Deductions before we discover the Authority or Obligation of it Thus to detain or invade a Neighbour's Property contrary to Compact is certainly an Act of Violence done to a Law of Nature but yet it demands a Proof of the Obligations of Compact or voluntary Promises as well as of the Authority of Property before the Law can be decyphered It cannot be denyed but these are Laws of Nature because natural Reason by close Researches and regular Conclusions may discover their Obligations I 'm sure it can be no Objection that they result from voluntary Intercourses and Transactions among Mankind I mean Compacts or Bargains for the Necessities of Nature dictating such Transactions is a sufficient Indication of their Divine Authority and Obligation and consequently whatever
Sense of 'em that a Right of Punishment is never disputed tho' the Penalty is not expresly annexed Thus far then at least we are advanced unless we can deny a Sovereign Creator a Right of exercising a legislative Power we must allow him a Right of executing Punishments upon the Violation of his Laws as well as a Power of rewarding the Observance of them § 2. But now the Certainty of Divine Punishments as well as Rewards pursuing all his Laws even Laws of Nature is evinced from indisputable Authorities Few will be forward to dispute the Certainty of Rewards and therefore I shall consider it purely with respect to Punishments And 1st That God will dispence certain Punishments upon the Violation of any Law of Nature follows from the general Ends and Intentions of all Law-givers especially the Supreme Divine Law-giver that gave Being to every Soul that is capable of receiving a Law as well as Laws to govern them by Now no Law-giver can ever give Laws to others without designing for some special Ends and Purposes to have them executed and observed Without this it's absurd for a Law-giver to engage in enacting Laws or trouble his Subjects with the Burden that arises from the Imposition of them In a word it 's to act in vain or to no purpose an Imputation that cannot without Horror and Blasphemy be charged upon God who is always governed by the unchangeable Dictate of infinite Wisdom Therefore since we must conclude that the Sovereign Lord of all the World is acted with the deepest concern to have his Laws executed since Punishment is the best Expedient to enforce the Execution of 'em and since Punishment is due upon the Violation of 'em it must follow that Punishment will attend the Violation of ' em § 3. But 2dly The Certainty of Punishment discovers itself from the Nature of these Laws with relation to those Beings to whom they are given Now it 's already concluded That Laws of Nature arise from the established Frame and Condition of our Beings and Concenter with the prime Ends and Interests of ' em The Observance of Laws of Nature bring natural Rewards along with 'em sufficient to recommend 'em to the Choices of reasoning Beings and the Violation of 'em implies a Renuntiation not only of the common Rules of Prudence but Self-preservation the necessary Instinct of sensitive unthinking Beings And therefore when Laws of Nature are violated there seems no Room or Foundation left to excite or work upon infinite Mercy Indeed did God act like an Egyptian Task-master and not only require Brick without Straw but continue the Tail upon the greatest Sweat and Drudgery merely to exert an absolute Sovereignty and Dominion he might sometimes be melted into Compassion when a poor Vassal happens to fall short of the Line of Duty but now the Violation of them implies the highest Aggravations of Folly and resolved Iniquity and therefore we cannot imagine that any thing can induce an infinitely wise Creator to suspend any Punishments he can justly execute § 4. But 3dly Let us consider the Nature of the Command with respect to God that gave them Now certainly since it is concluded That Laws of Nature or Dictates of Nature take their Rise from the Author of Nature they are not only established according to the original Frame of created Nature but according to the infinite Purity and Holiness of God They are the express Image of his Person and the Brightness of that infinite Mind with whom there is no Shadow of Darkness or Impurity On this Account the Violation of Laws of Nature is not only an Affront committed against the Majesty and Sovereign Authority of God but a gross Aspersion upon his infinite Purity and Holiness and consequently it must engage him in the deepest Resentments So that Punishment is now no more an Act of Sovereignty but an Act of Justice to wipe off the Dirt that is by this means cast upon his infinite Purity If He 's of purer Eyes than to behold much less to cohabit with Iniquity certainly he must be armed with the highest Resentments even such as will answer the Character he has given of himself for our God is a consuming Fire And therefore though his infinite Love and Mercy might sometimes engage him to remit the Punishment that is due to the Violation of a known Law yet his infinite Justice will not suffer him till he has satisfied the Demands of his infinite Purity and Holiness In one word whosoever seriously surveys the Actions of the Almighty will plainly discover how directly all his Laws result from the whole Circle of his Divine Attributes and therefore it 's a senseless Project to set up his Mercy against his Justice Purity and Goodness and thereupon promise our selves an Exemption from Punishment It 's evident therefore that Laws of Nature as well as all other Laws are guarded with Punishments suitable to the Nature of ' em And if God is not concerned to vindicate his Authority he 'll certainly be concerned to vindicate his infinite Purity and Goodness and therefore we may conclude tho' Hand joyn in Hand the Disobedient shall not go unpunished I will not pretend to fix a Standard of Punishment for Offences committed against Laws of Nature I mean with respect to the Nature Degrees or Continuance of them for tho' there are a great many Arguments that might suggest very considerable Discoveries in these matters yet I think they were in a great measure Secrets lodged in the Hands of God till he thought fit to reveal himself in Cases of this Nature this being the proper Business of Revelation It 's sufficient to Believers and Christians that he has now done it beyond all dispute or cavil Again I will not pretend to conclude every particular Soul that acts against Laws of Nature under the Vengeance of Heaven Punishment no doubt will be proportioned according to the means of Information and there may be certain Cases in a State of Nature where invincible Ignorance may be a Plea at the Bar of Justice to particular Persons but yet the Actions of Men are intricate and Humane Knowledge shallow and of a narrow compass and therefore we must leave these as Secrets to the Discerner of Spirits and that Candle of the Lord I mean every Man 's particular Conscience It 's sufficient that the Violations of Laws of Nature antecedent to Revelation render Mankind obnoxious to Punishments and that all the Reason in the World instructs us God will infallibly inflict them And therefore it 's the Concern of Mankind either to live in the Observance of 'em or to appear with a more substantial Defence than I can think of lest they bring themselves into an irreversible State of Condemnation CHAP. X. Of the Original of Parental Duty Love and Affection and filial Reverence and Duty § 1. IT was not my Design to descend to Particulars no more than to present the World with an exact List or